N is for Nathan Fillion

I have a confession to make: I'm in love with Nathan Fillion. It started with a sick fascination when Fillion played Caleb in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (he was a very creepy dude with a bad Southern accent) and developed into full-fledged puppy love when I discovered Firefly, another Joss Whedon series. Fillion plays Mal, a soldier-cum-space pirate with a heart of gold and a ready pistol.

Malcom Reynolds, captain of the Firefly

These days, Fillion stars on one of my favorite shows, Castle. He's a super-successful and wealthy author who tags along after Kate Beckett, a serious NY detective, and helps the cops solve crimes. Castle's led a varied (and rather debauched) life though he's still managed to raise a perfect daughter and maintain a very successful career 99.9% of authors can only dream of. 

Castle with his "Writer" Flak Jacket

As a character, he's got to be a blast to write. He's intelligent, creative, adorable, and has a great sense of humor. Take this bucket list of Castle's, for example:

Castle's Bucket List (click HERE for full list--there are 50 items)

This bucket list is so telling about the character and his life. Most of this is never seen by the audience (though I'd like to see him juggle chainsaws and literally lose his pants gambling) but it gives a lot of insight into Richard Castle's quirky brain.


I think I'm going to have to try this technique out with one of my characters, just to see what might be on her bucket list. Then I might have to write one for myself. Skydiving, anyone? 


What's on your bucket list?


BTW, if you're a Nathan Fillion fan, don't miss him in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog where he plays Captain Hammer (it was available on Netflix last time I looked). Hilarious and tragic.